A Second Chance
by JDHGamer
Summary: Ranma gets a second chance to get things right with Akane, nothing more can be said without spoiling the plot. Rated PG for mild adult language.
1. Author's Introduction

Ranma ½: A Second Chance  
By JDHGamer  
  
Author's Introduction:  
It all started out as a kind of alternate universe where Ranma makes wiser decisions, but then I got a better idea which you will see when you read the story. I'll give you the hint that it involves time travel, some of the rules will be added to "JDHGamer's Guide to the Multiverse" which I suggest you read simply because it may give you some insight into the rules and ideas I use when writing about alternate universes and time travel particularly.  
The challenge of writing this kind of a fan fiction is to make sure that everyone (except Ranma to a certain extent) is in character, although they react to Ranma differently because he acts differently from what originally happened. I call it the golden rule concept (do unto others as you would want done to yourself), where when a character acts nicer to someone, the character that was acted more nicely to becomes nicer towards that character in return…okay…let me put it as an example to make it more clear: Ranma originally showed Akane a lack of honesty and a lack of respect a great deal of the time, he hardly tried to actually get along with her, and in return Akane didn't like Ranma that much either. However, these events change, although Ranma's making all the changes, namely being more honest and respectful with Akane. As an effect, Akane's attitude towards Ranma changes, which is actually a dynamic change in the mechanics of her character, because her character originally has a very specific attitude towards Ranma, but because of Ranma's changed attitude which in turn changes her attitude, she's now practically a whole different character. The trick is making this all convincing to you guys, the readers, and to make sure that Akane is still Akane, just with a different attitude towards Ranma. Get it? Got it? If not, too bad for you…  
The other characters are a bit simpler, but still there are tons of complexities, of course. There's also the fact that I don't want to go about doing the same old "different take on the same series of events from the show" so much because if you're reading this, you've probably seen the show, you know the plot, you know what happens-more often than not I skip over certain parts where I don't think I could add a significant amount of change-particularly during the beginning where in the first hand-written draft, I included the infamous "bath scene" where Akane discovers Ranma's "secret", and I completely removed it in the second hand-written draft, and you will see how when you read it.  
Also, in some ways this WILL be an alternate universe, just little changes, and some changes which may be explained later on-so don't pay them too much mind.  
Anyway, I don't want to spoil too much more for you so I'll just let you read the story and I might include a commentary at the end like I usually do to explain each chapter and how it was constructed.  
So lean closer to the computer (or the print out) and enjoy my epic story of Ranma 1/2: A Second Chance. Brought to you by the writer of Tenchi in Love III: The Search for Sakuya and other stories set in the JDHGamer Tenchi Universe, which I suggest any Tenchi fan, even those who dislike Sakuya, to read. And don't worry, Ryoko fans, I resolve her relationship with Tenchi with all due respect to you guys.  
Enough shameless advertising, on to the story! 


	2. Given a Second Chance

Chapter 1: Given a Second Chance  
  
The irony of the situation had not escaped Ranma. A year before he'd probably have thought his old man would have to force him to read the eulogy. But the circumstances being as they are now, he actually volunteered to do it whole-heartedly. The cliché concept of not knowing what one has until it's gone so depressingly applied to him. If only…  
Akane had died a week ago from a progressive lung disease that is very easily cured in its early stages where symptoms are mild and nearly undetectable. Due to this, the disease had been allowed to progress too far, and although the doctors had tried their best, it simply wasn't enough to save her.  
In the aftermath of this event, Ranma nearly killed Shampoo in a rage when she tried to take advantage of the fact that there was one less person to compete against. She got beaten up so bad they had to take her to the hospital, and Ranma wished he HAD killed her-the bitch…Fortunately, Ukyo was much more sympathetic, and mourned with Ranma for Akane's death, primarily because it made Ranma so depressed and she didn't like seeing him like that. She offered him support, which he at first refused with suspicion, but once he was certain enough that she wasn't just trying to win him over, he gave in. Nonetheless, it still didn't help him recover that much, it had only been a week, after all.  
What truly depressed him, however, was that he screwed everything up since the moment he meet her. He never gave her the honesty, the respect, the love she truly deserved. He just wished there were some way he could go back and do everything right.  
At the funeral reception, Ranma was sitting by himself, slowly sipping from his glass of fruit punch. Everyone else had already left, with the exception of an old man sitting at the table across from him. He looked familiar, but Ranma couldn't quite place the resemblance.  
  
Ranma: Excuse me, are you on the guest list?  
  
Old Man: My name's on there.  
  
Ranma: And that name would be-?  
  
Old Man: Unimportant.  
  
Ranma: Okay…so why are you here? How do you know Akane?  
  
Old Man: Old friends…you could say.  
  
Ranma: Ah.  
  
Old Man: As far as WHY I'm here, it's for your welfare…and Akane's.  
  
Ranma: What do you mean?  
  
Old Man: What would you say if I told you I could send your subconscious back through time to correct all the mistakes you made…probably you'd call me a delusional old man.  
  
Ranma: That is EXACTLY what I was about to call you.  
  
Old Man: Hmmm…then perhaps we need a change of scenery.  
  
Everything around them turns to a void filled with various stars and nebula.  
  
Ranma: Wow! How the hell'd you do that?!  
  
Old Man: Magic.  
  
Ranma: Alright, so what if I believer you.  
  
Old Man: That would make things run much more smoothly, without a doubt.  
  
Ranma: What about that whole subconscious thing you were talking about?  
  
Old Man: It makes paradoxes less likely because you'll be operating subliminally. It will be like an instinct, an intuition. It will be enough to change your attitude in the past, believe me, but it won't be any more suspicious than a simple change of attitude. I may draw suspicion, mostly from your father, but the thing is you won't be able to explain it any more than he can.  
  
Ranma: So you're telling me that I'm going to go through all this crap again?  
  
Old Man: You'll only have a mild sense of déjà vu, which will decrease as more and more things change. Of course, some things are simply destined to occur.  
  
Ranma: What is in this for you?  
  
Old Man: More than you can fathom.  
  
Ranma: Alright, you just go ahead and keep on being mysterious.  
  
Old Man: Are you read?  
  
Ranma: Yeah, sure.  
  
Old Man: Alright then.  
  
Everything around Ranma blurs until... 


	3. I'm Really a GuyREALLY!

Chapter 2: I'm Really a Man, no REALLY I AM!  
  
For a second, Ranma feels a bit dizy and light headed. She tries to find her bearings. The moment passes as she rememberes she's the Tendo's, and Akane is looking at her with a smile.  
  
Akane: Hi, I'm Akane, wanna be friends?  
  
Ranma smiles back.  
  
Akane takes Ranma to the dojo.  
  
Akane: Do you know Karate?  
  
Ranma: A little.  
  
Akane: Then lets have a little match then.  
  
Ranma: Okay.  
  
Akane: And don't worry, I'll go a bit easy on you.  
  
Akane starts her attack, but Ranma manages to dodge each of her blows.  
  
Akane: Why don't you fight back?  
  
Ranma keeps dodging.  
  
Akane: Okay, this time for real!  
  
Akane throws the hardest, quickest punch she can, and it goes straight into the wall.  
  
For a moment, Akane is confused-until Ranma taps her on the shoulder. She turns around.  
  
Ranma giggles.  
  
Akane giggles back.  
  
Akane: Good thing you weren't a guy.  
  
Ranma: Huh?  
  
Akane: I just couldn't stand losing to a boy...  
  
Ranma turns to leave but stops, and turns back to Akane.  
  
Ranma: Akane?  
  
Akane: What?  
  
Ranma: We're freinds, right?  
  
Akane: Sure.  
  
Ranma: No matter what?  
  
Akane: Of course.  
  
Ranma: Promise?  
  
Akane: Why are you so insecure about it?  
  
Ranma: Just promise and I'll tell you...  
  
Akane: Okay, okay, I promise...  
  
Ranma: There's something about me you don't know, and it's a bit...um...unbelievable...you have to see it...  
  
Akane: Okay...  
  
Ranma: Could you get me a bucket?  
  
Akane: Why?  
  
Ranma: I need to show you.  
  
In the kitchen...  
  
Ranma fills the bucket with warm water.  
  
Ranma: Ever heard of Jusenkyo?  
  
Akane: The name rings a bell...  
  
Ranma: It's a buch of cursed springs. If you fall into one, you transform into whoever or whatever drowned there many years ago. The curse can be reversed with warm water.  
  
She pours the warm water on...himself?  
  
Akane: Omigawd you're a g-g-g-g-g...  
  
Ranma: Yeah, I'm a guy...I'm sorry I didn't tell you before but it was a little...difficult. We're still friends, right?  
  
Akane: It's okay...I can handle this, I can handle this, I can handle this, I CAN handle this!!...  
  
Seonds later...  
  
Akane: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kasumi rushes to the kitchen.  
  
Kasumi: What's going on here, who's this boy?  
  
Soun Tendo also enters.  
  
Soun: Ah! I see you've discovered the curse!  
  
Nabiki comes in next.  
  
Nabiki: What happened? Who's he? Did I hear something about a curse?  
  
Genma comes in last.  
  
Genma: I believe we owe you an explaination.  
  
Genma, Ranma, Sound, and Akane take turns explaining what they know.  
  
Soun: This may not be such a misfortune after all. You can chose from any of my daughters. There's Ka-  
  
Ranma: Akane.  
  
Soun: Ah, my youngest daughter-16.  
  
Akane: WHY ME?!  
  
Ranma: Well, we've a got a friendship going right now for a start...and I've got this weird feeling about you...I can't explain it...  
  
Kasumi: And you don't like boys right?  
  
Nabiki: This one's half-girl.  
  
Ranma: You promised about the friendship thing and I'm holding you to that.  
  
Akane: This wont be written in stone, right?  
  
Ranma: Not if you don't want it to be...  
  
Akane: Okay, I'll see how it turns out then...you seem like a halfway decent guy.  
  
Nabiki: He seems like a halfway decent girl too, which makes him an all the way decent person. Haha! Haha! Heh heh...not funny...  
  
Genma: (What has gotten into my son? He's actually showing respect...to a GIRL? Oh well, it's a good thing anyway...my son's finally growing up!)  
  
Tears flow like a river from Genma's eyes.  
  
Ranma: Dad? DAD!!  
  
Genma: Huh?  
  
Ranma: You're embarassing me!!  
  
Genma: Sorry...  
  
Soun: Oh crap...I just remembered something...a martial artist is staying in our guest room. I've already talking with Genma and we're going to be roomates-just like old times...but she's going to be staying here for a few months, and well...Akane would you mind if Ranma would share your room for the next couple months?  
  
Akane: What?!  
  
Ranma: That wouldn't be so bad...  
  
Akane glares at him.  
  
Ranma: No, that would be sinful, we're engaged, not married yet!  
  
Soun: But it will be a two months at least, and you much be tired of laying on the ground from all your travels...  
  
Ranma: And compared to that, the floor is an improvement.  
  
Soun: Well, you could sleep on the floor in Akane's room then...besides, it will offer valuable bonding time.  
  
Genma: Of course, we only mean that in the most plutonic sense.  
  
Ranma: Right...  
  
Akane: I have a sleeping bag from a camping trip, actually.  
  
Ranma: That'll do.  
  
Soun: So when do you think we should have the wedding?  
  
Akane and Ranma reply with irritated stares.  
  
Genma: Perhaps we should give it some time before considering an exact date.  
  
Later that night...  
  
Ranma and Akane sit beside eachother on the floor, staring blankly into space...  
  
Ranma: You know, I don't even like this whole engagement thing...I just kept my mouth shut for some odd reason...  
  
Akane: Well, then-the feeling's mutual...  
  
Ranma: But still, we can be friends and stuff...and if it developes into something more...well, all the better then...and-why the hell am I being so thoughtful all of the sudden?!  
  
Akane: Don't know...so you're not normally this thoughtful...  
  
Ranma: It's like the moment I set my eyes on you I became somehow enlightened...if that's love then love is NOTHING like I first thought it would be...it's probably not-I mean, I didn't feel any attachment or anything, just like I've gotta be careful what I say to this girl...  
  
Akane pours cold water on Ranma, and he transforms into girl form.  
  
Ranma: YOU COULD WARN ME BEFORE YOU DO THAT!!  
  
They go upstairs and get changed seperately...then they head to Akane's room.  
  
Akane pulls out a sleeping bag from the closet.  
  
Akane: Here.  
  
She throws it at Ranma.  
  
Ranma: You don't have to throw it at me that hard!!  
  
Akane: Sorry.  
  
Akane gets into the bed while Ranma rolls out the sleeping bag then gets into it.  
  
Akane: Goodnight Ranma.  
  
Ranma: Goodnight Akane. 


End file.
